Your 2019 Energy Resolutions

The new year is a time for fresh starts so why not use the start of 2019 to make some resolutions about your energy use?

Small changes could make a big difference to your pocket and the planet and if you don’t know where to start, we’re here to support you.

We’re running workshops to help small businesses learn more about simple energy saving measures they can take, but here are five top tips to get you started.

1. Make a commitment

It’s much easier to stay on track with a resolution if you make it public. That doesn’t mean that you have to shout it from the rooftops but it’s a good idea to get your team onboard with the transformation from the outset.

Get everyone together or share an update through your internal communications channels. Explain why you think it’s important to improve the business’s energy use and encourage people to come forward with their own ideas on how to make it happen.

2. Track your progress

Energy use is often unseen – until you get the bill that is – and that means that the results of all your hard work to use less can often be overlooked too. To avoid this, track the improvements you make on a monthly or annual basis.

You can compare your energy usage to the same month the previous year and then round-up your success at the end of 12-months. The amount of carbon you have saved can also be calculated, demonstrating the positive impact on the planet.

3. Appoint a green champion

If you have someone on your team who is passionate about making a difference, why not make them your company’s very own green champion? They could be responsible not only for energy use but also other initiatives such as recycling or ecological volunteering.

Your green champion could even let your clients or customers know what you are doing – public awareness of the need to care for the environment is growing rapidly so it’s likely that any efforts you make to reduce energy use and therefore carbon emissions will be well-received.

4. See what others are doing

In Greater Lincolnshire, we’ve seen the impact that green technology, such as wind farms, can have on the local economy. We now want to bring that off-shore success onshore and are working with a wide range of businesses like yours across our area to achieve this.

Our free workshops are a great way for small businesses to find out how they can save energy and offer a brilliant opportunity to network too. Our next workshop takes place at Europarc, Grimsby on 29th and 30th January and if you complete it, you’ll be entitled to a free energy saving gift worth up to £500. You can sign up here.

5. Contact us to see if you’re eligible for a grant

For larger businesses, we’re offering grants covering up to 38 per cent of the cost of energy saving measures such as new heating and lighting. This could be a great way for you to kickstart your new energy saving.

Use our postcode checker to see if you can apply or contact us directly to go through the application. We’ve made the application process quick and simple so you could be saving energy, saving money and saving carbon sooner than you think.

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